Spencer Churches facts for kids
The Spencer Churches are two Christian groups in the United States. They are also sometimes called the Union Churches. These churches were formed in the 1860s after a split from an older church. That older church was called the Union Church of Africans (or African Union Church). It was started in 1813 by Peter Spencer, who was a freed slave, in Wilmington, Delaware.
History of the Spencer Churches
Early Beginnings
In 1865, one of the Spencer Churches, the Union American Methodist Episcopal Church, was formed. The next year, another church in Maryland joined the African Union Church. This group then changed its name to the African Union First Colored Methodist Protestant Church and Connection, often called the A.U.M.P. Church.
In the early 1800s, many African Americans started their own independent church groups. They did this so they could have full control over their own churches. For example, the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME Church) was started in Philadelphia. The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church (AME Zion Church) began in New York. And the African Union Church was founded in Wilmington. After the American Civil War, the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church was also started in the South as a church for Black people.
Before the American Civil War, the main Methodist Episcopal Church had split into two parts: a Northern church and a Southern church. They divided because the Northern churches were against slavery. Later, in the 20th century, these two parts reunited to form the United Methodist Church.
Coming Together: Full Communion
In May 2012, the two Spencer Churches joined with three other Black Christian groups. These were the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, and the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church. They all agreed to enter into "full communion" with each other and with the United Methodist Church. This meant they would recognize each other's churches, share religious ceremonies, and accept each other's leaders and ministries.
The churches had been talking about this for ten years. This happened after the United Methodist Church formally apologized for unfair treatment based on race in the past.
